Cities for Everyone Media Release

Cities for Everyone. New grassroots organization supports affordable housing and transportation in the Capital Region.

Victoria, 9 March 2017. Cities for Everyone (CFE) is a new community organization that supports more affordable housing and transportation in order to provide security, freedom and opportunity for people of all incomes and abilities. Its goal is to educate and advocate for more affordable infill development and more affordable transportation options in the Capital Region.

Home Sweet, Affordable Home!

Many hard-working families are stressed by economic forces that drive up living costs faster than wages. This results, in part, from public policies that favor costly housing and transportation options over more affordable alternatives. Since these are the two largest expenses in most households’ budgets, representing 60% of total spending by many lower-income households, such policies significantly reduce affordability.

“Cities for Everyone aims to make Victoria more inclusive and liveable for everyone. We want to see everyone from students to young families to seniors afford to live in a vibrant neighborhood where they have access to jobs, education and leisure without needing a car if they don’t want one.” CFE member, Ericka Amador said.

For many households, the most affordable option consists of inexpensive housing types, such as townhouses and apartments, located in walkable urban neighborhoods where residents don’t need to own a car. Like many cities, Victoria has a shortage of such housing, forcing lower-income households to spend more than they can afford on housing and transport. Affordable urban housing gives struggling households more economic freedom and opportunity.

According to CFE member Todd Litman, “It is time to rethink and reform current policies that prevent compact infill housing development. It’s time to say, ‘Yes in my backyard’ to affordable infill housing, such as townhouses and low-rise apartments, in walkable urban neighborhoods. Cities for Everyone works to educate residents about affordability issues, and encourage public officials to support an affordability policy agenda.”

Cities for Everyone differs from other organizations because it advocates for both housing and transportation affordability, and because it primarily addresses housing and transport options suitable for moderate-income workers, students and pensioners, rather than focusing on homelessness and subsidized housing.